Water leak in refrigerator?

I read the previous post about unblocking a water draining tube from freezer. I can't find any tube to unblock! Where do I look? I looked on the back, inside, etc. Also vacuumed underneath and behind. Thanks.

10 Answers

If the refrigerator is leaking water it's possible that the refrigerator has a clogged or freezing defrost drain. If the defrost drain freezes the defrost water will overflow the drain and drip down to the bottom of the compartment, If enough water accumulates in the bottom it can run out onto the floor. Thaw any ice that is clogging the drain. Make sure the drain is clear by flushing it with a turkey baster and HOT water.

Water Tank Assembly

If the refrigerator is leaking water the water tank assembly may have sprung a leak. Check the water tank assembly while it's still in the refrigerator to see if the leak can be found. Keep in mind that the tank is not under pressure, it only holds water at a very low pressure and so the leak might be very small and hard to find. The tank can sometimes be made up of coiled tubing and is usually located behind the crisper drawers, behind a panel in the refrigerator section. If a leak is discovered, replace it. The plastic they use for the tank doesn't accept glue very well.

Water Inlet Valve

If the refrigerator is leaking water the water valve may be cracked or have a loose fitting. The water inlet valve requires a minimum of 20 psi to shut off properly. If the water inlet valve does not shut off properly and the water pressure is good, replace the water inlet valve.

Water Filter Housing

If the refrigerator is leaking water the water filter housing might be cracked or broken. Inspect the housing thoroughly and replace it if any cracks are found.

Water Filter Head

If the refrigerator is leaking water the water filter head might be cracked or the seal might be torn or missing. Check the water filter housing carefully for any damage or defects.

Drain Pan

If the refrigerator is leaking water the drain pan might be cracked. All self-defrosting refrigerators have a drain pan. The drain pan is underneath the refrigerator or near the compressor. When the refrigerator goes into the defrost cycle the frost and ice that is melted off of the evaporator coils flows down a small tube and into the drain pan below. The condenser fan blows warm air from the condenser coils across the top of the drain pan to evaporate the water quickly and so the drain pan never has to be emptied. However, if it cracks, the water from the defrost cycle will spill out of the pan onto the floor.

Water Filter

If the refrigerator is leaking water the water filter might not be installed correctly. Remove and reinstall the filter to be sure it's seated properly.

As an old female, I've tried several things, I took out everything in the freezer, can't find a drain hole there on at crisper trays area. I did change the settings in my Frigidare(A-E to C now I have ice in the water this is pooling. Now what?

I found the best way to unclog the plastic drain hose is to get a 6' length of 1/8" stainless steel aircraft cable (from Lowe's, cut off the spool) and fish it down the length of the tubing from the top freezer to the drip pan. Fray the ends of the trailing side of the cable so that when you pull it through it works like a roto-rooter.

r6373, The crisper tray is in the refrigerator section, not the freezer section. The drain hole is at the bottom of the freezer section, and is not visible even with the freezer empty, because it is probably under the freeze coils which you cannot normally see unless you remove the panel in front of it.

Well, nobody said where the drain is, so I will. It is under the freezer coils which are not even visible in most (or all?) refrigerators. Reason? Because it is hidden behind a panel, usually at the bottom of the freezer section towards the back. To access it usually requires removal of a couple of the lower shelves there, and then you can see and then remove a couple screws on the panel. Then remove the panel and clean out the drain. The aircraft cable is a good idea. I use a wire.

You will have to locate the evaporator coils inside the fridge. In a side by side, they are probably in the bottom. You will have to remove some plastic parts to get to the coils. Under the coils is a drip tray which catches the water when the fridge goes into the defrost cycle. In the drip tray, there is a small drain hole; about 1/4 inch diameter or less. The drain hole can be difficult to find, but trust me it's there. Use a turkey baster with HOT water to melt the accumulated ice inside the drain tube. You can also use a hair drier; just be careful not to damage any plastic parts.

I bought two thermometers and found my refrigerator was set near the coldest setting while the freezer was perfect. I raised the temperature to about 1/2 way between coldest and warmest safe temperatures by moving the thermostat a small amount each day until the refrigerator was safe, but warmer by a few degrees. I also removed the baffles in the freezer and made a copper wire to go into the drain. I also changed out two parts, but I believe the problem was the temperature settings and nothing else.

I have a top freezer fridgedaire less than a year old. No ice maker. No water dispenser. It's in a seasonal rental so not full of food. There's always a small puddle on first shelf of fridge. Like a slow drip. How do I get that to stop?

If it is a frost free fridge, there must be some 1/2" pipe coming out of the back of the refrigerator that must be clogged. Follow the instructions to unclog the pipe . by taking out the plastic case of the top freezer

I have a GE side by side with water\ice dispenser on the door. The tube on the water dispenser started dripping which fills up the catch tray and drips down the front of frig. i have tried everything . . . how do I get it to stop leaking? I can not even find the source of the leak. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!